Machine for applying fasteners to sausage casing



March 1, 1966 J. J. FRANK 3 3 0 MACHINE FOR APPLYING FASTENERS TO SAUSAGE CASING Filed June 8, 1964 s Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

JZsEPH \T FRANK Y I BY ATTORNEY MACHINE FOR APPLYING FASTENERS TO SAUSAGE CASING Filed June 8, 1964 J, J. FRANK March 1, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

JsEPl-IJ FRANK ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,237,290 MACHINE FOR APPLYING FASTENERS T0 SAUSAGE CASING Joseph J. Frank, 401 Osborne Ave, Brielle, NJ. Filed June 8, 1964, Ser. No. 373,196 6 Claims. (Cl. 29-24357) This invention relates in general to the sealing of flexible casings or bags, for example a food stufled package called a sausage, and more particularly the invention is directed toward means for applying fasteners to the twisted closure portions of such casings or bags.

One type of fastener contemplated by the invention comprises a single piece of wire having a thin coating of rubber or synthetic plastic composition and formed into a U-shape with the arms spaced apart a distance greater than the diameter of the twisted neck portion of the bag or casing to be sealed. The bag or casing is sealed by helically Wrapping the fastener around the twisted neck.

A primary object of the invention is to provide novel and improved apparatus for automatically applying the fasteners to the bags or casings whereby the twisted neck of the bag can be located and momentarily held in a predetermined position and a fastener can be automatically and quickly separated from a supply of fasteners and automatically helically wrapped around the twisted neck.

Another object is to provide such apparatus which shall include a fixed lower die and a novel and improved reciprocable upper die constructed to successively separate a fastener from a supply of fasteners, convey the fastener into embracing or straddling relation to the twisted or gathered neck of the casing or bag, and coact with the lower die to automatically helically wrap the fastener around the neck of the casing or bag.

Still another object is to provide apparatus of this character which includes (in combination with a fixed lower die) a novel and improved construction and combination of a frame or support, a die housing reciprocably mounted in said support, an upper die reciprocably mounted in said die housing, and means for controlling reciprocation of said die housing and said upper die in such a manner that the upper die shall be moved to first separate the fastener from the fastener supply, whereupon the upper die and the die housing shall move together to convey the fastener to the bag neck, and thereafter the upper die shall move relatively to the die housing to wrap the fastener around the bag neck.

Other objects, advantages and results of the invention will be brought out by the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary partial side elevation and partial central vertical sectional view through apparatus embodying the invention with the parts shown in position to start the application of a fastener to the neck of the bag and showing a bag that has a fastener applied thereto;

' FIGURE 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view on the plane of the line 22 of FIGURE 1 with the bag omitted;

FIGURE 3 is a similar view showing the position of the parts after a fastener has been separated by the fastener supply by the uper die;

FIGURE 4 s a like view with the parts shown in the position assumed when the fastener has been conveyed to the bag neck;

FIGURE 5 is similar to FIGURE 4 showing the completion of the application of the fastener to the bag neck;

FIGURE 6 is a horizontal sectional view approximately on the plane of the line 6-6 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE'7 is a similar view on the plane of the line 7-7 of FIGURE 1;

3,237,290 Patented Mar. 1, 1966 FIGURE 8 is a similar view on the plane of the line 88 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 9 is a sectional view on the plane of the line 99 of FIGURE 2; showing a bottom view of the upper die, and

FIGURE 10 is a top plan view of the lower die from approximately the plane of the line 1010 of FIGURE 2.

Specifically describing the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the machine includes a frame having a base portion A and a vertical frame portion B on which is rigidly mounted an upper die support C in which is reciprocable a die housing D that has reciprocably mounted therein the upper die E which coacts with the lower die F that is shown as fixedly mounted on the base portion A.

The upper die support C has a vertical opening 1 theret-hrough in which the die housing D is slidable and with which communicates a lateral passage 2 through which the U-shaped fasteners G are fed to the upper die.

As shown, the fasteners are U-shaped and formed of wire and a plurality of them are connected together by flexible tape 3 formed of suitable tearable material such as paper for holding the fasteners together in close side by side contacting relation. The fasteners are mounted in straddling relation to the upper edge portion of a supply rail 4 that extends into the passage 2 with its end spaced from the bottom of groove 11 a distance only slightly greater than the thickness of the wire of which the fastener is formed and the fasteners are urged in file formation toward the upper die by a weight 5 that -is slidably mounted on the rail and gravitationally presses the fasteners along the rail.

The sliding movement of the upper die housing D in the opening 1 of the support C is friction-ally resisted by a friction block 6 held against movement in said opening by suitable means such as a stud 7 and constantly pressed into frictional engagement with the adjacent edge of the die housing by compression springs 8; and the upper movement of the die housing is limited by engagement of the stud 9 on the die housing that abuts one end of a groove 10 in the friction block in which the stud normally moves.

The upper die E is relatively slidably mounted in the die housing and as shown the die housing has a guide way for the upper die comprising a longitudinal slot 11 the side edges of which are undercut or V-shaped as indicated at 12 to slidably receive longitudinal V-shaped edges 13 of the upper die. The movement of the upper die relative to the die housing in one direction, that is, upwardly, is limited by engagement of a stud 14 on the upper die with the upper end of a slot 15 in the die =housing, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2.

The lower end portion of the upper die has a die face 21 to engage the bight or curved portion of a fastener G that is projected beyond the rail 4 and held in abutting relation to the 'base of the groove 11 of the die housing, as shown in FIGURE 1. The edges of the groove 11 in the die housing are cut away at 22, opposite the passage 2, to provide a clearance for the fasteners as best shown in FIGURE 2 as they are pushed from the rail.

The upper end of the upper die is connected in suitable mannner to a suitable source of motive power which, for example, is schematically illustrated as a fluid pressure motor H the piston rod I of which has a head K engaging an undercut slot L in the upper end of the die. When the motor is energized to move the upper die downwardly from its uppermost position shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, the upper die moves relatively to the upper die housing sliding movement of which is resisted by the friction block 6. During this movement, the leading fastener G is separated from the supply and moved downwardly with its arms guided by the undercut edges of groove 11 as shown in FIGURE 3; and this movement continues until a shoulder 16 on one edge of the upper die engages the toe 17 of a dog 18 that is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends at 19 on the die housing and is normally biased by a spring 20 so that the toe 17 is held in the path of movement of the shoulder 16. When the shoulder 16 engages the dog, the dies housing is moved downwardly by and with the upper die in a manner to be described to apply the fastener to the bag or casing M whose twisted neck N is disposed on the upper surface of the lower die F which has two diagonally extending grooves 23 one end of each of which is in line with the free end of one of the arms of the fastener.

Upon continued downward movement of the upper die and the die housing from the position shown in FIGURE 3, the fastener is brought into close juxtaposition to the neck of the casing with the legs of the fastener in straddling relation to the neck, as shown in FIGURE 4, and at this point the tail portion of the dog engages the end 24 of a groove 25 in the friction block into which the dog projects, and thereby the dog is actuated to move the toe portion 17 out of the path of movement of the shoulder 16 on the upper die, as shown in FIGURE 4. The upper die then is moved downwardly independently of the die housing which is held against movement by the friction block 6, and the arms of the fastener are forced into their respective grooves '23 in the lower die so that as the fastener is pressed between the upper die and the lower die, said arms of the fastener are guided by said grooves and wrapped around the neck of the bag as shown in FIGURES and l. Thereupon the upper die and the die housing move downwardly together as a result of engagement of the head of the upper die with an abutment 27 on the upper end of the die v housing, so as to finally crimp the fastener around the neck. At the same time, the excess end portion of the neck is severed by cooperation of a blade 28 on the lower end of the die housing with a blade 29 that projects upwardly from the face of the lower die as best shown in FIGURE 1.

The upper die and die housing are then moved upwardly to their initial position as shown in FIGURE 1 ready for the next downward movement to separate the leading fastener on the rail 4 from the supply of fasteners and then apply the fastener to the neck of the next bag or casing, it being understood that when the upper die moves to its initial position shown in FIGURE 1, the fasteners are automatically and successively brought into position beneath the upper die for the next fastener applying operation.

While the now preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it should be understood that this is primarily for the purpose of explaining the principles of the invention and that the construction and the operation of the apparatus may be modified or changed without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

When desired, the machine may be used for wrapping the fastener around some object other than the pleated, crumpled or twisted end of a flexible casing, for example, a bundle of straight wires.

I claim:

-1. A machine for wrapping a pliable fastener around an object, comprising an upper die and a lower die having complemental die faces contoured for bending and guiding a fastener around the object held between said dies as the dies are moved together, a frame including a base on which said lower die is mounted, an upper die support on said frame above said lower die having an inlet passage for fasteners, means for supplying fasteners in file formation and in succession into said passage, means mounting and reciprocating said upper die in said support to move downwardly from its upper position transversely 'of said passage and engage and separate the leading fastener from said file formation, convey the fastener said die face of the lower die in juxtaposition to the object on the lower die and press the fastener between said contoured die faces of the upper and lower dies to wrap the fastener around said object and to then return to its upper position, said means for mounting and reciprocating said upper die including a die housing that is reciprocable in said support transversely of said passage and has a guide-way in which said upper die is reciprocable, means yieldingly fricitonally holding said die housing against movement, means to move said upper die relatively to said die housing and coacting means on said die housing and said upper die to move said die housing upwardly with said upper die to an uppermost position, said guide-way having a cut-away portion providing a clearance for the leading fastener of said file beneath the die face of the upper die when the die housing and upper die are in said uppermost position, said upper die being movable downwardly independently of the die housing to engage and separate the leading fastener from the file and move it into the end portion of said guide-way below said cut-away portion, said end portion of the guide-way frictionally holding said fastener, means including parts between said upper die and said die housing to cause the die housing to move downwardly with said upper die to convey the fastener to the lower die, and permit the upper die to move independently of the die housing and press the fastener between the die faces of said upper and lower dies.

2. A machine for wrapping a pliable fastener around an object, comprising an upper die and a lower die having complemental die faces contoured for bending and guiding a fastener around the object held between said dies as the dies are moved together, a frame including a base on which said lower die is mounted, an upper die support on said frame above said lower die having an inlet passage for fasteners, means for supplying fasteners in file formation and in succession into said passage, means mounting and reciprocating said upper die in said support to move downwardly from its upper position transversely of said passage and engage and separate the leading fastener from said file formation, convey the fastener to said die face of the lower die in juxtaposition to the object on the lower die and press the fastener between said contoured die faces of the upper and lower dies to wrap the fastener around said object and to then return to its upper position, said means for mounting and reciprocating said upper die including a die housing that is reciprocable in said support transversely of sa d passage and has a guide-way in which said upper die s reciprocable, means yieldingly frictionally hold ng said die housing against movement, means to move said upper die relatively to said die housing and coactmg means on said die housing and said upper die to move sald d1e housing upwardly with said upper die to an uppermost position, said guide-way having a cut-away portion providing a clearance for the leading fastener of said file beneath the die face of the upper die when the die 'housing and upper die are in said uppermost P 831d upper die being movable downwardly independently of the die housing to engage and separate the leading fastener from the file and move it into the end portion of S guide-way below said cut-away portion, 831C} end P tion of the guide-way frictionally holding said fastener, means including coacting parts on said upper d1e and said die housing to cause the die housing to move downwardly with said upper die to convey the fastener to the lower die, means on said support cooperative with said part on the die housing to disengage said coacting parts and permit the upper die to move independently of the die housing and press the fastener between the die faces of said upper and lower dies, and means including a portion of said upper die engageable with an abutment on the die housing for moving the upper die and the die housing downwardly simultaneously to finally crimp the fastener around said object.

3. The machine as defined in claim 2 with the addition of coacting blades one on the lower die and the other on the die housing for severing the object during the lastmentioned movement of the upper die and die housing.

4. A machine as defined in claim 1 wherein the means for supplying fasteners in file formation constitutes a rail which is straddled by U-shaped fasteners that slide along the rail, and wherein said guide-Way is undercut to frictionally receive and guide the arms of the U-shaped fasteners.

5. A machine as defined in claim 1 with the addition of means including a portion of said upper die engageable with an abutment on the die housing for moving the upper die and the die housing downwardly simulta- 6. A machine as defined in claim 5 with the addition of coacting blades one on the lower die and the other on the die housing for severing the object during the lastmentioned movement of the upper die and die housing.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,908,981 5/1933 Hicks 29-24357 2,748,389 6/ 1956 Buchy.

2,880,419 4/1959 Tipper 29-243.57 3,017,638 1/1962 Kelem 29243.57

EDWARD C. ALLEN, Primary Examiner.

neously to finally crimp the fastener around said object. 5 MILTON MEHR, E1641mm?"- 

1. A MACHINE FOR WRAPPING A PLIABLE FASTENER AROUND AN OBJECT, COMPRISING AN UPPER DIE AND A LOWER DIE HAVING COMPLEMENTAL DIE FACES CONTOURED FOR BENDING AND GUIDING A FASTENER AROUND THE OBJECT HELD BETWEEN SAID DIES AS THE DIES ARE MOVED TOGETHER, A FRAME INCLUDING A BASE ON WHICH SAID LOWER DIE IS MOUNTED, AN UPPER DIE SUPPORT ON SAID FRAME ABOVE SAID LOWER DIE HAVING AN INLET PASSAGE FOR FASTENERS, MEANS FOR SUPPLYING FASTENERS IN FILE FORMATION AND IN SUCCESSION INTO SAID PASSAGE MEANS MOUNTING AND RECIPROCATING SAID UPPER DIE IN SAID SUPPORT TO MOVE DOWNWARDLY FROM ITS UPPER POSITION TRANSVERSELY OF SAID PASSAGE AND ENGAGE AND SEPARATE THE LEADING FASTENER FROM SAID FILE FORMATION, CONVEY THE FASTENER TO SAID DIE FACE OF THE LOWER DIE IN JUXTAPOSITION TO THE OBJECT ON THE LOWER DIE AND PRESS THE FASTENER BETWEEN SAID CONTOURED DIE FACES OF THE UPPER AND LOWER DIES TO WRAP THE FASTENER AROUND SAID OBJECT AND TO THEN RETURN TO ITS UPPER POSITION, SAID MEANS FOR MOUNTING AND RECIPROCATING SAID UPPER DIE INCLUDING A DIE HOUSING THAT IS RECIPROCABLE IN SAID SUPPORT TRANSVERSELY OF SAID PASSAGE AND HAS A GUIDE-WAY IN WHICH SAID UPPER DIE IS RECIPROCABLE, MEANS YIELDINGLY FRICTIONALLY HOLDING SAID DIE HOUSING AGAINST MOVEMENT, MEANS TO MOVE SAID UPPER DIE RELATIVELY TO SAID DIE HOUSING AND COACTING MEANS ON SAID DIE HOUSING AND SAID UPPER DIE TO MOVE SAID DIE HOUSING UPWARDLY WITH SAID UPPER DIE TO AN UPPERMOST POSITION, SAID GUIDE-WAY HAVING A CUT-AWAY PORTION PROVIDING A CLEARANCE FOR THE LEADING FASTENER OF SAID FILE BENEATH THE DIE FACE OF THE UPPER DIE WHEN THE DIE HOUSING AND UPPER DIE ARE IN SAID UPPERMOST POSITION, SAID UPPER DIE BEING MOVABLE DOWNWARDLY INDEPENDENTLY OF THE DIE HOUSING TO ENGAGE AND SEPARATE THE LEADING FASTENER FROM THE FILE AND MOVE IT INTO THE END PORTION OF SAID GUIDE-WAY BELOW SAID CUT-AWAYPORTION, SAID END PORTION OF THE GUIDE-WAY FRICTIONALLY HOLDING SAID FASTENER, MEANS INCLUDING PARTS BETWEEN SAID UPPER DIE AND SAD DIE HOUSING TO CAUSE THE DIE HOUSING TO MOVE DOWNWARDLY WITH SAID UPPER DIE TO CONVEY THE FASTENER TO THE LOWER DIE, AND PERMIT THE UPPER DIE TO MOVE INDEPENDENTLY OF THE DIE HOUSING AND PRESS THE FASTENER BETWEEN THE DIE FACES OF SAID UPPER AND LOWER DIES. 